Lowering data privacy standards by dominant entities can be abuse of dominance: Ashok Kumar Gupta

Lowering data privacy protection by dominant entities can be construed as abuse of dominant position, according to Competition Commission of India (CCI) chairman Ashok Kumar Gupta.

“Lowering of privacy protection by dominant enterprises could be construed to be an abuse of dominant position and therefore fall within the ambit of antitrust as low privacy standards implies reduction in consumer welfare,” Gupta said during a virtual workshop on competition in the telecom sector, on Friday.

The comments came in the backdrop of WhatsApp’s revised privacy standards, the applicability of which were deferred on account of widespread backlash.